1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a grip for a polo mallet and, more particularly, to a shock absorbing grip for a polo mallet integrally formed of composite materials and including a hand strap with means for removably attaching the hand strap to the grip and means for balancing the polo mallet in accordance with an individual player's specifications.
2. Description of the Related Art
The sport of polo, having a history rich in tradition, has seen few changes over its hundreds of years of existence and the design of the polo mallet is no exception. The traditional polo mallet includes a head carved from a hard wood for striking a ball and a cane (shaft) having one end fixed to the head. The traditional polo mallet further includes a handle or grip formed of one or more pieces of hard wood which are shaped to a traditional configuration, including a knob at one end. The grip is fixed to the opposite end of the cane using nails. A hand strap is nailed at opposite ends to the grip to form a closed loop which is wrapped about the player's hand when gripping the mallet.
Despite the longevity and tradition associated with the conventional polo mallet, there remain some drawbacks due to the materials and antiquated methods of construction. In particular, the handle or grip of the traditional polo mallet, being made of hard wood, is unable to absorb vibration which travels from the head and up the shaft of the mallet. For this reason, most polo players wear gloves to minimize the discomfort of vibrations. Furthermore, it is not uncommon for the hand strap to break during the course of a polo match. This requires removal of the nails holding the broken strap and replacement of a new hand strap which is again nailed to the handle. This repeated nailing of hand straps to the handle results in weakening of the cane. Further, the nail holes expose the interior of the cane to humidity and dryness in the atmosphere which damages and weakens the cane shaft.
The most significant problem associated with the use of natural materials in the construction of polo mallets is the lack of uniformity among a player's collection of mallets due to the varying characteristics of natural materials, and particularly natural cane.
It is, therefore, difficult for a player to find several polo mallets which meet the player's ideal specifications. For instance, the size (diameter) of the cane shaft at the top or proximal end will affect the size of the grip. Once a player has become comfortable with the feel of a particular grip size, any variation in size on other mallet grips tends to feel awkward. The varying characteristics of natural cane also results in differences in shaft lengths, flexibility and balance. Many polo players find it difficult to adjust to any change in the feel and performance of different mallets particularly during a game. And, because mallets are often damaged, it is not uncommon for a player to use several mallets during the course of one polo game. In fact, most professional polo players maintain a supply of at least ten polo mallets which are ready for use during a game. Ideally, all of the player's mallets should have the same specifications, much like a professional tennis player is able to maintain a supply of rackets with identical specifications or a baseball player with a collection of identical bats. Unfortunately, duplication is far more difficult to achieve in the construction of polo mallets, particularly when using natural cane shafts. And, while composite material shafts, such as graphite, would make it easier to reproduce the desired specifications, most polo players, having become accustomed to the feel experienced with natural cane on traditional mallets, find it difficult to adapt to the distinctive change in feel and increased vibration produced by composite material shafts.
Accordingly, there exists a need for a polo mallet grip which addresses the need for uniformity in view of the varying characteristics of natural cane shafts. There is a further need for a system or method of balancing polo mallets to meet the specifications and needs of individual players, so that a polo player can keep a large number of polo mallets available, all having the identical feel, balance and flexibility.